CYRIL Rioli is expected to be named in the Hawthorn side to take on the Eagles at the MCG on Friday night.
Rioli trained with an extended squad at the Ricoh Centre on Thursday ahead of the blockbuster against the Eagles, after missing just two weeks with a shoulder injury.
Coach Alastair Clarkson says he expects the exciting small forward to be part of the Hawks’ selected 22 on Thursday night.
“He’s pretty close,” Clarkson said of Rioli.
“He’s trained all week and we’ll make a call after training.
“Unless something happens today, we expect to be naming him tonight.
Rioli could reunite with forward partner Lance Franklin for the first time in eight weeks, after Franklin made his long awaited return to the Hawthorn side in Round 22.
Franklin was one of the Hawks’ best in the seven-point win over Sydney at the SCG, booting four goals and having a hand in several others.
Clarkson praised a “rusty” Franklin for his ability to have an impact in his first match in seven weeks and expects him to be better for the run.
“I think he had a hand in about 10 of our scores last week,” he said of Franklin.
“He was a little bit rusty, he didn’t really get going until the second quarter.
“We’re really pleased with the contribution he made.
“If we can get him up and going a little bit earlier than that, we’d be happy.
“He’ll build his way into the last part of the season and hopefully has a really big finals series for us.”
A win over the Eagles would secure the McClelland Trophy for the Hawks as the home-and-away season’s minor premiers.
Finishing in first place, however, isn’t on the Hawthorn radar.
“Top four is what we were searching for at the start of the year,” Clarkson said.
“As long as we’re able to secure that, that’s what we’re pleased about.
“We enter a finals series then on level pegging with three other sides and four others who still have a chance.
“It’s really just 23 rounds of qualifying and then you get ready for the real season.”
Kate Salemme is a member of Hawthorn Football Club’s Digital media team reporting exclusively for hawthornfc.com.au from the Ricoh Centre.
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